


Reunited

by Gaaladrieel



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Fluff, M/M, Misunderstandings, Old Friends, Reunions, mention/minor Dís Fili Kili Ori
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-23
Updated: 2019-12-23
Packaged: 2021-02-07 23:01:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,663
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21465949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gaaladrieel/pseuds/Gaaladrieel
Summary: It's been ten years since they last saw each other, back when they went to uni. Then one day, as he's doing his Christmas shopping, Thorin visits Bilbo's bookshop, and Bilbo realizes he's still got a crush on the man.
Relationships: Bilbo Baggins/Thorin Oakenshield
Comments: 16
Kudos: 127
Collections: Have A Happy Hobbit Holiday 2019





	Reunited

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Saebrin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Saebrin/gifts).

> My contribution to this year's Happy Hobbit Holiday exchange. Hope you all like it :) 
> 
> Can highly recommend [bgmc cafe music's](https://www.youtube.com/user/cafemusicbgmchannel) winter and Christmas playlists to play in the background if you'd like some music as you read 😄
> 
> Kudos and comments are much appreciated! 
> 
> Merry Christmas everybody 🎄

“Bilbo?” 

He can hear Primula call for him from the other side of the shop. 

“Oh, hello, welcome!” he hears her say happily as the door to the bookshop creaks open. 

“Cousin, where are you?” 

“Hiding from you,” Bilbo chuckles as he walks out from between the bookshelves towards the register. 

“Now that’s not very nice, is it,” she smiles as he walks up to her. “And here I am with a cup of tea for you even, maybe I should just take it back with me.” 

“You can make your own, or get your mother to make you one,” Bilbo says as he takes the cup of earl grey from the hands of Primula, who only laughs at him. 

She leans over the counter with a grin. “Did you see the guy who walked in just before?” she whispers. 

“No,” he frowns. “What about him?” 

“Oh,” she sighs happily. “He was so handsome...” 

“Prim...” 

“I might be a married woman, but I can still look!” 

Bilbo chuckles into his cup as he takes a sip. 

“Besides, I was thinking of you, not me.” 

Now that, that makes him cough. 

He hasn’t exactly missed her jokes and remarks about him being single, but it’s been quite a while since the last time, so it takes him by surprise. 

“You just wait,” she whispers and turns around. “See you later, Bilbo! Don't forget you’re coming over for dinner tonight!” she tells him as she walks back down the few flights of stairs to her mother's coffee shop. 

“Hard to forget when we have to close the shop together!” he shakes his head as Prim's giggles fade. 

“Bilbo?” someone says from between the shelves in front of the counter, and Bilbo jumps. 

“Yes?” he asks as he looks to see who’s there, only to stare at the man in front of him. He’d recognize those blue eyes and that face anywhere... “Thorin...” he says softly. 

The man grins as he walks up to him and that smile... Judging by the way his body is feeling, all giddy and as if it’s full of butterflies, there’s no wonder he hasn’t had any luck in dating anyone after university, no one else has made him feel this way. 

“I heard someone mention your name and, well,” Thorin chuckles a little as he stops in front of the counter. “It was you. I didn’t know you worked here. It must be years since I last saw you!” 

Ten to be exact, Bilbo thinks. 

“What have you been up to since uni?” 

Even if Bilbo was a roommate with one of Thorin’s relatives and therefore happened to see him now and then back at uni, he can’t remember if he ever heard the man string together such a long sentence, and to him nonetheless. He seemed to be the bored and broody one always content just sitting there with his friends, or with his nose in textbooks, books which Bilbo thought seemed dreadfully boring. 

“I’ve ah,” Bilbo blinks, “well, I worked here for a few years, took a couple of classes again, then started teaching history... And, well I, I do both now.” 

“And you?” 

"A boring accountant," he says, and Bilbo snorts. 

"Hopefully it isn't too bad," he chuckles. "Anyway, is there anything I can help you with, or did you find what you were looking for?" 

"Any idea if these are good for five and seven-year-olds? Fili and Kili asked for dinosaur things for Christmas."

Bilbo looks down at the books on the counter, a facts book, and a children's book. "Good choice," he says as he taps the children's book with a finger. "Read this for my nephew not long ago, got it for his birthday and he loved it, full of nice drawings." 

"Ah," Thorin smiles, "good, good." 

Once he's paid and thanked Bilbo for the help, Thorin turns to leave, but stops by the door and looks back at him. "It was nice seeing you again, Bilbo."

Bilbo smiles. "It was nice seeing you again too, Thorin." 

Thorin comes back the next week, and again a couple of days after that, then again a morning a week before Christmas, a coffee and a cup of tea in his hands as he this time came up from the café with a grin as he told Bilbo Prim had refused any payment, only told him to "give that grumpy cousin of mine his morning tea." 

He'd stayed longer each time, told Bilbo of his job and what he'd been up to lately, asked Bilbo about his life and the shop, seeming genuinely interested, and Bilbo had chatted away, and also helped him find books for Thorin to give his family for Christmas. 

**

It’s snowing heavily as Bilbo and Prim step out of the shop, and bilbo wraps the scarf tight around his neck as prim turns to lock up. They say their goodbyes, and bilbo watches her as she crosses the street to her car to make sure she makes it safely. 

The Christmas music is playing from every shop and restaurant down the road, and whilst also making him glad Prim agreed on having relaxing, instrumental music on in the shop, it makes him quite excited for Christmas. 

His parents live only an hour away, but he doesn’t visit them as often as he should, and the thought of seeing them again, and his mother's cooking and Christmas cookies, contributes to his excitement. 

Looking through all the shop windows, he’s reminded by all the decorations and gift suggestions that he still needs to buy them presents. Well, make that everyone as he still hasn’t bought a single present, and Christmas is only a few days away.   


“Bilbo!” 

Thorin waves at him from the other side of the street and makes his way over. 

“On your way home?” Thorin asks. 

“I am yes, you?” 

“On my way to Dís for dinner.” 

“How lovely,” Bilbo smiles. “Please tell her I said hi!” 

“Why don’t you come with me?” Thorin grins. 

“What?!” 

“Come on, Frerin and I usually have dinner there every Friday, but more of the family is coming over tonight,” Thorin says. “Ori too!" 

“Oh, I haven't seen him in... At least five years.” Bilbo's eyes widen, time does fly, doesn’t it... 

Thorin chuckles. “Come on, it’ll be like a reunion! Fili and Kili will be there too, of course. I know they’d all love to see you.” 

They stand there for a moment, the snow crunching under Bilbo’s shoes as he takes a step closer to Thorin. 

“Are you sure?” he asks softly as he pulls his scarf up over his cold cheeks. 

“Absolutely,” Thorin smiles. “Now come on, it isn’t far.” 

He continues down the sidewalk, and Bilbo follows, hiding his smile and red cheeks in his scarf as he walks next to thorin. 

At the end of the street, they turn left, and soon reaches a lovely neighborhood with large wooden houses decorated with garlands and lights and Christmas wreaths on their doors. 

Dís’ house is down a long driveway on the right, the entrance decorated with lights and a small decorated tree, and Bilbo stops behind Thorin as he rings the doorbell before entering. 

Loud footsteps come toward them, and Bilbo peaks out into the hallway to see two boys come running. 

“Uncle Thorin!” they yell. 

“Oh my god,” Bilbo whispers to himself. “Nephews of course...” 

His head falls against Thorin’s back as he closes his eyes and sighs. _ What an idiot. _

Thorin looks back at him with a frown. “What?” he asks. 

“Oh it’s, it’s nothing,” Bilbo huffs a small laugh. 

“Of course they’re my nephews, they’re Dís’ sons.” Thorin raises a brow at him, then frowns again. “Wait, did you think they were my sons?” 

The boys have during the revelation slung themselves around Thorin’s waist and are hugging him tightly, giving Bilbo a few curious glances. 

“We’ve made mulled wine,” the oldest grins. 

“And gingerbread!” the other one adds. 

“Wonderful!” Thorin beams and hugs them both tight until they hear a muffled “let me go!" 

They run away giggling then, and Bilbo is once again left alone with Thorin, who takes his coat and hangs it up for him. 

“Did you really..” 

Bilbo looks at his feet and he nods. 

“I guess I forgot to tell you when we met,” Thorin says and chuckles as he takes off his shoes. 

“I love being their uncle.” His smile and the look in his eyes is so warm and full of love, Bilbo can’t help but smile. “They’re all I need.” 

And with that, he turns and walks down the hallway and into what Bilbo assumes is the kitchen as he hears a clatter of plates and several voices greet thorin, leaving him to follow. 

After a few mugs of mulled wine, gingerbread, and a lovely roasted chicken dinner by Dís, and the kids have been put to bed, Frerin finds his sister's wine glasses while Thorin pours the wine, Dís herself giggling as she finds the snacks she had hidden from the kids. 

There's a lot of catching up, the Durins filling each other in on what’s been happening the past couple of weeks, and Bilbo on what’s been happening since they last saw each other at school. Despite not having had that much contact with most of them before, only knowing about them through Ori, it’s as if he’s known them his whole life and that it certainly wasn’t five or ten years since they last saw each other, the flow of the conversation making Bilbo feel more included and comfortable than in most other social settings. 

Even when the topic of families, his parents, children, and partners come up, the family genuinely curious and interested and not judgemental like many others when he tells them he’s got no kids, and despite loving them, he doesn’t want any of his own. 

And no, he doesn’t have a partner either. Bilbo sighs as he tells them, used to his relatives huffing and complaining about him not only being alone but with no wish to have children either, how dare he! 

But the Durins smiles and tells him that as long as he’s happy and comfortable in life, then that’s what matters. 

“Did you know...” Ori’s eyes sparkle over the rim of the glass as he takes another sip of his wine. “That Bilbo had a crush on Thorin when we went to school, and..” 

Bilbo’s eyes widen. He lets out a small cough, and quickly takes Ori’s glass from him, “that’s enough wine for you!” 

“And!” Ori says loudly. “Judging by the way he’s been looking at him all evening, I guess he still does.” 

Everyone goes quiet. Except for Ori who’s giggling as he takes back his glass. 

“I think I’ve had enough wine too,” Bilbo says quietly, his cheeks now burning. “And it’s getting late.” 

With that, he gets up, thanks Dís for the lovely meal and chat, and walks out to the hallway. He can hear Thorin call for him as he leaves, and his heavy footsteps following after him, but he doesn’t stop until he finds his shoes and puts them on. Grabbing his jacket from the hook, he looks back at Thorin. “Thank you for tonight,” he says, trying his best to give him a small smile as he opens the door. 

**

He just can’t get it up. 

Bilbo silently curses his cousin Drogo for getting him this tree as he throws the star down onto the sofa. It's a big, beautiful tree, yes, but he can’t reach the top of it, not even when he’s standing on a chair! 

Although the top branches are a little bare, at least the rest is decorated in red, green, gold, and silver. 

The phone plings as he walks into the kitchen to make a cup of tea, but he ignores it, waits until he’s seated on the sofa with the drink before he opens the texts. 

“Sorry about last night.” It says. “But you’ll thank me later. Someone had to finally say something.” 

Bilbo shakes his head. He’d woken up feeling good and happy about the nice time he’d had yesterday until he remembered _that _moment and embarrassment had flooded him again. If nothing else, it certainly got him out of bed quick, not interested in lying there remembering it. 

And right after breakfast, he had started tidying, cleaning, and decorating for Christmas. He wasn’t going to spend much of it at home, but still wanted to decorate, and was planning on inviting his cousins over for a Christmas lunch one day. 

And maybe... Maybe he could invite Thorin over too. 

And so, the day had flown by, and his house was looking a lot better. 

The doorbell rings as he rereads the text, and he throws his phone down onto the sofa as he gets up to open. 

And there's Thorin. 

Bilbo looks at him, a burgundy scarf wrapped around his neck. “Is that mine?” he asks, nodding towards his visitor. 

“You forgot it last night.” 

“Ah,” he moves aside, “thank you for bringing it over, would you like to come in?” 

“Thank you”, Thorin says as he walks inside. 

He takes off his shoes, coat, and scarf, handing the latter over to Bilbo. 

“Thorin,” bilbo says as they enter the living room. “Since you're here, I have to ask.” 

He chuckles as he looks from his Christmas tree to Thorin. “Could you put up the star? I can't reach the top.” 

Thorin laughs as he looks up at the tree and its naked top. Grabbing the star Bilbo had tossed onto the sofa, he reaches out his arm. 

But not even he can put the star on. 

“Come here.”

He hands the star to Bilbo, bends his knees, and grabs Bilbo by the hips, who yelps as he’s lifted up and against Thorin’s chest. 

One hand holds onto the star, the other Thorin’s shoulder, and Bilbo looks down at the man with big eyes. 

“Try and put it on now,” Thorin grins. 

Bilbo can’t help but laugh and stretches out his hand. The star meets the treetop perfectly, with a cheer from Thorin and a muttered “finally” from Bilbo before they both laugh. 

“Thank you,” he says, both hands now on Thorin’s shoulder. 

“I’m glad I could help,” Thorin chuckles as he lets him down, his hands still on Bilbo’s hips. 

“I’m sorry about last night,” Thorin says after a quiet moment, his voice soft. 

“It’s nothing to apologize for, Thorin,” Bilbo smiles. 

“It is. It’s clear you left because of what Ori said, and I apologize for that, and how it ended your night.” 

“We had a great time, I'm glad you came with me,” he continues. “You should’ve heard how Dís yelled at Ori and me when you left,” Thorin chuckles. “Is it true? Were you interested in me in school? We only met now and then...” 

“You don’t have to see someone often to fancy them, you know.” 

“So you did?” 

“I, ah, I did yeah.” 

“How about now?” He asks quietly. 

“Why are you asking me this, Thorin?” 

"I did need to buy more Christmas presents, but I came back mainly to see you, and, well, when we were in school I was an idiot and to be honest you’re still just as handsome and I would like to get to know you better, Bilbo.” 

Bilbo's mouth falls open as he stares back at Thorin. 

He feels slightly terrible for being surprised at how Thorin just confessed his feelings so easily, he had never expected him to be so open, or in all honesty, for Thorin to have feelings for him.

"I, I'd love to get to know you better too," Bilbo smiles. 

And with that, Thorin pulls him close and hugs him tight, and Bilbo puts his arms around him, closing his eyes and smiling as Thorin whispers, "I'm glad."


End file.
